The Second Lady Southvale by SANDRA HEATH

Author:SANDRA HEATH [SANDRA HEATH]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780709094388
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2011-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

About half an hour later, Annie led her down through the house to the terrace. The morning air was cold and fresh as they emerged outside, and Rosalind drew the shawl closer. The little rotunda occupied the southwest corner of the terrace, and its windows shone in the morning sun. A curl of smoke rose into the air from the tiny chimney, and as Rosalind drew closer, she could see the white-clothed table inside and the bowl of red chrysanthemums that had been placed in the middle. Gold-and-white porcelain caught the sunlight, and silver cutlery gleamed; it looked very inviting and pleasant, and she thought it all an excellent idea.

There was no sign as yet of Katherine, and so Rosalind waited inside, gazing out over the park. The autumn colors were magnificent, for it was one of the leafiest parks she had ever seen. She was to learn that this was because the Tyburn stream passed below its surface, and it was consequently always well-watered. The park was roughly triangular in shape, and of an undulating character, with two shallow hills toward the center. It was bounded by Piccadilly to the north, and she could see a narrow, rectangular sheet of water by the park wall. To the south she could see the avenues of trees marking the commencement of the Mall, while to the southwest there was Constitution Hill and Buckingham House, a royal residence. There were gravel paths, but no flower beds, and almost in the very center, barely visible because of the trees, she could see a mound on which stood the remains of a very old building. She was later to be told that this was King Charles the Second’s icehouse, for that convivial monarch had liked his wine chilled in the summer months.

As she stood there, a sudden movement almost directly below the terrace caught her attention. She looked down to see a postern gate in the wall bounding the property of Southvale House. A gardener was carrying a large terracotta pot containing an ornamental bay tree, and as she watched, he placed it very carefully beside the gravel path that led from the gate toward a wide walk that passed from north to south through the park. Other bay trees had already been carried out, and lined the path like sentries, and then she saw that other potted plants had been carried out into the park: ferns, citrus trees, and little conifers. The gardener returned through the postern gate, wiping his hands on his sacking apron, and he disappeared into a little stone building in the lee of the wall. A moment or so later he came out with another bay tree.

A voice spoke suddenly from the doorway of the rotunda. ‘As you can see, Miss Carberry, we have our own private access to the park.’

Rosalind turned quickly to see Katherine standing there, the orange ribbons in her little lace day bonnet fluttering a little as a stray draft swept momentarily over the terrace. She wore a cream gown and carried an orange-and-brown shawl.

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